Implementing Mandatory Housing Affordability

This slideshow was presented by Joel Darnell at the June 2016 membership meeting of the Greenwood Community Council to explain Seattle’s proposed Mandatory Housing Affordability program, part of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) and better known as the “Grand Bargain.” Mandatory housing affordability is also sometimes referred to as “inclusionary zoning.” You can click on the individual slides to see a larger version.

Seattle has proposed that all new multi-family and commercial development either set aside a percentage of units to be affordable or contribute toward a fund to build affordable units elsewhere. Major developers have sued to stop similar programs in other cities, but under the “Grand Bargain” some of the major developers and housing advocates have agreed not cooperate (e.g. not sue) if the percentage of units set aside is limited to 5-7%, development capacity increases, and other various principles set out in the bargain are followed.

For example, a single person making 60% of the area median income (AMI) makes $37,980. For a one-person rental to be considered affordable, rent would be no more than approximately one third of that person’s monthly income, or $1017 per month.

It is difficult to find housing at these rates today, and as more people move to Seattle competing for limited housing supply the pressure (or opportunity for landlords) to raise rental rates will and has increased. Over the past decade there has been significant displacement of low income people and ethnic minority families from Seattle to more affordable housing in distant car-dependent suburbs. HALA has summarized the need in their studies.

Seattle’s goal is to provide 50,000 new housing units over the next 10 years of which 30,000 would sell or rent for market rates. Public housing would provide about 14,000 affordable units through Seattle’s housing levy plus federal, state and non-profit housing programs. The remaining 6,000 affordable units would be achieved through the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program.

Key point: Under the grand bargain, “major players” have agreed not to cooperate with the MHA program as long as the program is limited to 5-7% of all units, and multifamily housing zoning rules are changed in designated urban villages throughout the city to allow an additional 10′ (or one floor) of height, amongst other principles.

The affordable units are expected from three roughly equal sources: about 1/3 of the affordable units would be funded by new commercial fee (e.g. non-residential buildings); 1/3 would be funded through fees paid by residential developers in lieu of providing housing onsite; the 1/3 (gray box) represents onsite construction . To reach the total, City would use leveraged funding from other sources.

For both residential and commercial programs, the requirement for fees or in the case of residential buildings set-aside affordable units would be offset by additional allowable capacity (height or bulk). This may make the property more valuable for existing owners, and allows for more revenue to offset the developers cost of providing affordable housing.

Here are some examples of where new affordable units would likely be located, first for on-site units, and second for buildings that are built by the city using fee revenue from developers who don’t choose to include affordable units in the buildings they construct. Note that none of the MHA residential numbers have been worked out or finalized.

There are many other HALA-related policies and proposed ordinances being considered. At the same time focus groups are meeting to provide input on proposed zoning changes and (in theory) similar outreach will occur at some point through existing neighborhood groups.

Seattle Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School is celebrating upgrades to pedestrian and bike safety near the new schools opening this fall just off Aurora Avenue North at North 90th Street (Robert Eagle Staff Middle School and Cascadia Elementary School). From 1-5 p.m. on Aug. 26 at Greenwood Park, 602 NW 87th St., bring […]

King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles is having a meet-and-greet with constituents of County Council District 4 (most of Seattle north of Madison Avenue downtown and west of I-5) from 10-11:30 am. Saturday, Aug. 26, at Diva Espresso, 14419 Greenwood Ave. N. Join Councilmember Kohl-Welles for an informal discussion on the issues the Council is working […]

Our neighborhood’s annual Gumshoe 5K Walk fundraiser is in its final days (it was extended by one week because of air quality and heat concerns), and will end this Sunday, Aug. 20. The traditional “Procrastishoe” is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, starting at Ken’s Market. Join a group of other procrastinators to do the walk […]

Seattle Public Library is now out of solar eclipse viewing glasses. SPL will livestream NASA’s Live Eclipse Megacast at 14 branches, including Greenwood, Broadview, Ballard, beginning at 10 a.m. Monday.

Seattle Parks Department has revised the site plan for the park being built on Greenwood Avenue North between North 81st and 82nd streets, just north of the Greenwood Library. The Reading Nook has been relocated to the north end of the park as it is a more contemplative space which was in the middle of […]

Coindexter’s is planning to open at 8556 Greenwood Ave. N. on Sept. 1. The bar and pinball arcade will be open daily from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., with 12 taps and plenty more bottled beers, most of it local. The menu is still being developed, but we’re told some “unique grilled cheese sandwiches” will […]

The Seattle Channel’s Roberto Romero hosted a recent episode of City Stream from the Greenwood Seafair Parade. Seattle Department of Transportation’s Neighborhood Street Fund Program has released a summary of the July 19 public meeting that centered on why it wanted to remove the pedestrian overpass from Holman Road NW and 13th Avenue NW as […]

Town Hall, located downtown, is under renovation for the next 14 months, so the speakers and music venue is taking its programs on the road to several neighborhoods, including ours. All of Town Hall’s lectures, concerts, and arts programs are just $5 per person. The “Inside/Out” season will stop at the Phinney Center, 6532 Phinney […]

U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal’s office is hosting a neighborhood meetup from 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at the Broadview Branch Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N. “Outreach staff will be available to answer questions, offer constituent services, provide an overview of the office’s work and functions, and update attendees on Jayapal’s legislative activities,” according to the […]

Here are some highlights of what’s happening in and around the neighborhood this weekend. Check our Events calendar any time for more. Phinney Farmers Market is from 3:30-7:30 p.m. Friday in the upper parking lot of the Phinney Neighborhood Association, 6532 Phinney Ave. N. It’s Artwalk night from 6-9 p.m. Friday at dozens of art […]

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About this site

We are working to make this Greenwood Community Council (GCC) website a go-to resource for anyone who wants to be active and involved in Greenwood. It's a site in transition, so please "pardon our dust!"

The Greenwood Community Council meets monthly on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are from 7:00 to 8:30 at the Greenwood Public Library.

We are also always looking for participants for our four active committees:

land use

transportation

safety and health, and

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The Greenwood Community Council provides a forum to engage residents and businesses, opportunities to meet city and business leaders who affect Greenwood, and a place to find vision and agreement on mutual interests to improve the neighborhood and make it safe and affordable for all.